Choose A Copper

Russell, who shares training duties with Michael Scudamore from their yard in Milnathort, Perthshire, has been effusive about Choose A Copper since the horse first caught the eye over hurdles. Speaking after its second Hexham win in October 2024, he called it "an outstanding horse" that moves so well its work riders have to run just to keep up with it on the gallops. He has talked seriously about trips to Sandown or Newbury — proper southern tracks with big reputations — which tells you the team believe there is considerably more to come. A yard that has sent out 49 winners this season is not short of horses, so when Russell singles one out for that kind of ambition, it means something.

The other thing that makes Choose A Copper interesting is its relationship with wet ground. On soft or muddy surfaces, it has won 2 of just 5 races — a 40% win rate that is genuinely striking. Most horses improve marginally in certain conditions; Choose A Copper transforms. Its partnership with jockey Derek Fox adds another thread to pull on: together they have won 2 of 6 races, or 1 in every 3, which is a strong record by any measure.

The current form, though, is harder to ignore. Choose A Copper has not won in its last six races, and its recent placings — a string of mid-field finishes and blanks — suggest it has found things a little tougher stepping up in class. That said, it raced just yesterday and remains in active training, so the team clearly have not given up on finding the right opportunity. With Hexham, wet ground, and Derek Fox in the saddle, this horse has shown it knows exactly how to win. It just needs those pieces to fall into place again.